Staten Island hoops enjoying a higher profile

Staten Island Advance file photo by Hilton FloresThe play of McKee/Staten Island Tech's Josh Good, among others, has caught the eye of some college coaches and enhanced Staten Island's reputation for producing quality players.It was down to the final minutes of McKee/S.I. Tech’s PSAL quarterfinal loss to John F. Kennedy last winter, when St. John’s coach Norm Roberts stepped out of his Alumni Hall office to take in the action.

Roberts stood in the corner of the gym watching the Gulls’ jet-propelled backcourt of Pucky Manley and Josh Good take Kennedy to the end of an overtime period with big shots and tons of court savvy before falling to the team that would eventually advance to the city title game.

“They have some real players,” the Red Storm coach said, pointing in the direction of the Tech bench. “I mean, real players.”

Villanova coach Jay Wright walking was through a door at the back of The Garden during Big East tournament week last March, when he bumped into an Island hoop guy.

“Hey,” the Final Four coach stopped the Islander. “There are a couple of kids I’ve been hearing about from up your way. Are they as good as everyone is telling me?’.”

The answer to Wright’s question, more and more, is yes.

NEVER A WASTELAND

Yes, there are good players on Staten Island. More and more of them. And the number is only going to increase.

Not that Staten Island has ever been the hoop wasteland some used to suggest. From the beginning of the college basketball boom in the ‘40s, on up through the turn of the century, there were always players to be found on Staten Island.

Good ones who would move on to the national-level college game.

Matty White comes to mind.

The long-time LaSalle Academy coach and College of Staten Island assistant came out of Tottenville in the early 50s to star at Georgetown.

St. Peter’s product Bill Murtha was recruited to then national champion Loyola of Chicago following his senior high school season.

And John Engles’ St. Peter’s team of a decade later sent several very good players on to star at solid Division I programs at the same time that McKee’s Ken Page and Curtis’ Larry Cubas were carving out names for themselves in the college game.

A decade ago, Curtis HS had a run of good players like Pac-10 rebounding machine Jeff McMillan. And his teammates, Angel Branch and Rob Lewin, who both played in the NCAA Tournament as collegians.

So there have always been players on Staten Island, contrary to what some non-Islanders like to think.

But maybe there have never been more making an impact in Division I ball than now.

Missouri’s Zaire Taylor, and Ryan (Siena) and Steve (Davidson) Rossiter all went to the tournament last year, and it’s probable none of their teams would have advanced that far without them.

Freshman St. Peter’s product OD Anosike is the first big man off the bench at Siena, and Halil Kanacevic (Curtis) may just be the best big man on the Hofstra roster despite being only six games into his college career.

APCurtis product Zaire Taylor played a key role in Missouri's Elite Eight run in 2008-09.
Isaiah Wilkerson (Curtis) is the glue of the NJIT team in Newark, and Doug Elwell (Monsignor Farrell) the best passer in the Wagner College program.

Farrell point guard James Hett has started from the day he showed up at Monmouth University.

CATCHING UP

That group playing together could be the core of a very good college team at a very competitive level. And I’m probably missing someone at least as deserving as those mentioned.

The point is, the quantity of good players has increased on the Island. And the season that is just beginning looks as if it will continue to show more of the same.

MSIT point guard Pucky Manley and Curtis point man Jonathan Annan, both seniors, are just two kids playing on the Island today who won’t be finished with basketball any time soon.

Tony Rafaniello, who has been coaching the high school game here for 35 years, says things have never been better.

“The quality of Island basketball is catching up with the rest of the city,” the Moore Catholic coach insists. “There may not be a single team yet that can compete with the very best in the city. But there are plenty of individual players who could play for anyone.”

Rafaniello also has an idea of why that is.

“More kids playing, and better coaching,” he said. “When you look around the high school programs on the Island you see a real stability in the coaching staffs. There are a lot of people who know a lot about the game.”

There’s also more diversity, Rafaniello points out.

There are kids playing for Island schools now who began their lives in Nigeria, Albania, Congo.

“The trend’s going to continue,” he says.

St. Peter’s coach Charlie Driscoll has been at the coaching game for 21 seasons. He agrees with Rafaniello.

“There’s no doubt the basketball is better,” he says.

But his reasons for the improvement are more general.

“I think part of it is that kids concentrate far more now on a single sport,” said Driscoll, whose Eagles are the reigning Island champs.

“And I think the different non-school programs during the summer gives them exposure to playing against some very good competition.”

One thing is for certain: Better players make for improved competition.